from real life to a web space.

Algae is something you will find in any aquaria at some point. It can even be healthy after a tank is fully cycled. It start to be a nuisance when it appears constantly and often for two reasons. The first because of higher phosphate concentration in the water. And the second because of too much light.

The problem I encounter the most is because of some phosphate and maybe a little extra light. But is manageable with water changes and glass cleaning in the aquaria(every four days in heavy stocked fish tanks, and every ten days in fully stocked aquaria.)

But one thing that takes a lot of time in cleaning the aquarium (primary if you have several fish tanks) is algae in rocks, decorations, and driftwood.

I have seven aquaria, and cleaning them top to bottom all take up to an hour and a half(using a hose siphon and an internal water pump). If I had to clean algae in rocks decorations, and driftwood, it will increase the time thirty minutes up or more. So obviously I opt for no plastic decorations, white or clear color rocks, or driftwood in the fish tanks.

All of this is truth in all but one exception. And that is unless a have a PLECOSTOMUS fish. I have one in a tank, but is not the common plecostomus, but a bristle nose.

Everywhere there is a pleco, no white honeycomb rock get slime algae around it. And driftwood does not develop hair algae neither. You may find some algae in the glass still.

There is a downside tough. That is plecostomus poop a lot, and you can see all the detritus in the substrate surface (usually if you have light sand color. Gravel is not a problem)

I have otocinclus cat fish in thirty gallon planted aquarium, but they are good at cleaning algae from plants surface, and not for decorations, rocks, etc